The ‘Saw’ Series Is Getting Rebooted By Chris Rock
[taps mic] Chris Rock would like to play a game.
Yes, Chris Rock, standup supreme — and underrated filmmaker in his own right — wants to try horror. The Hollywood Reporter says Rock has sold Lionsgate on a new version of their venerable Saw franchise. Here’s how Lionsgate chairman Joe Drake described the new project and how it came about:
When Chris Rock came to us and described in chilling detail his fantastic vision that reimagines and spins-off the world of the notorious Jigsaw Killer, we were all-in. Saw is one of the highest grossing horror franchises of all-time and it’s one of Lionsgate’s most successful film series. This upcoming film will still be as mind bending and intense as all the previous Saw films. Chris conceived this idea and it will be completely reverential to the legacy of the material while reinvigorating the brand with his wit, creative vision and passion for this classic horror franchise.
Rock co-wrote the new Saw but is not directing; Darren Lynn Bousman, who directed Saw II, III, and IV will return to direct Rock’s version. In a statement, Rock said “I’ve been a fan of Saw since the first film in 2004. I am excited by the opportunity to take this to a really intense and twisted new place.”
It’s sort of surprising to hear Rock is such a big horror fan, but it’s well-established that he’s a cinephile with expansive and eclectic tastes; one of his earlier films as director, I Think I Love My Wife, was based on a movie by French New Wave auteur Eric Rohmer. It’ll be interesting to see just what his unique twist on the Saw franchise is.
Gallery — The Best Horror Franchises of All-Time: